Justice League & Power Rangers Unite Against [Spoiler]

It may have only been the comic book crossover that dreams were made of prior to this year, but now that DC Comics and BOOM! Studios have united the forces of Justice League/Mighty Morphin Power Rangers into a single series, anything is possible. The first issue established the premise that makes such a clash of the titans possible, with the Black Ranger leaping through a broken teleporter and winding up marooned on the Earth of the DC Comics Universe. But he didn’t come here alone…

The sudden arrival of an otherworldly visitor caught the attention of Batman – with predictable results – which ensured that these juggernauts of galactic and planetary protection met as enemies first. But as their heroism takes over in some unforgettable combinations, Issue #2 sees them finally establish a truce. And not a moment to soon, since the classic Power Rangers villain pulled into the DC Universe along with them has met his first ally. One who has his own history with the League, and may now shift his quest for universal domination into a brand new universe.

Rangers vs Leaguers

The previous issue saw Batman and The Flash do their best to tackle the superpowered Rangers, stripping them of their weapons, but not their determination to protect a friend in need. But when Kimberly took it upon herself to call her Pterodactyl Dinozord into the fray, and snatch up the Dark Knight and his signature vehicle, Flash had no choice but to call in some additional backup. The entirety of the Justice League arrives in short order, leading to… well, the kinds of mash-up scenes and battles that comic book dreams are made of.

There’s Superman, politely requesting that the Pink Ranger release Batman before he’s further angered. There’s Green Lantern attempting to confine the Rangers, but instead learning that the awesome might of the summoned Dinozords is apparently enough to shatter the green light of willpower. Thankfully, Cyborg’s sonic cannon can inflict serious damage on the massive mechs, and The Flash is still capable to vibrate his way through their metals and into the cockpit, tearing their fearless leader – Jason, the Red Ranger – out of the machine.

Fortunately, they’re all superheroes here. Which means peace comes long before anyone is seriously injured… thanks to a bit of Amazonian magic.

The Heroes Come To a Truce

It’s Superman who stays Flash’s fists, with Kimberly having explained the entire story and their motivations for following the Black Ranger to this strange Earth. Her confession is revealed to have come courtesy of Diana’s Lasso of Truth, showing its powers stretch even beyond the limits of a single universe. It’s Zack, the Black Ranger who apologizes for acting before he accurately judged whether Batman was a friend or foe (something readers would expect Bruce Wayne to understand, given his own tendencies towards mistrust). But, as Zack points out, Batman does look more like one of Lord Zedd or Rita Repulsa’s monstrous minions than a superhero, where they came from.

The Rangers explain that they’ve come to retrieve their friend, but also show responsibility for the enemy they brought with them. This whole mess began when Zack was duped, and tricked into bringing a bomb into the Rangers’ base of operations. When the bomb exploded, Lord Zedd arrived to mop up Zord and the remaining resistance – and Zack acted fast, and recklessly. Grabbing onto Zedd and teleporting to an unknown location, both he and the villain were scattered into the DCU. He laned in Gotham… but Zedd’s destination is a mystery.

Unfortunately, they barely have time to offer some theories before Zedd’s location, and his brand new ally, launch their attack: a planet-wide invasion.

When Lord Zedd Met Brainiac

As it turns out, Zedd arrived in the DCU floating in space, before a bright light transported him into a strange, alien city. A city that had been contained in a glass jar by an unknown, malevolent collector. Using his classic means of growing in size, Zedd erupted from the glass case to meet his captor face-to-face: Brainiac. Ever one to increase his galactic knowledge, Brainiac was intrigued by this new alien visitor. And we have to hand it to Lord Zedd: he came up with a truly diabolical evil plan to achieve both of their goals.

Brainiac’s pursuit of a human city to add to his collection almost always fails due to Justice League intervention, so the most obvious answer, suggested by Zedd, is to capture a human city from a planet where there is no Justice League. The next step is simple: unleash an army of city-sized Octopus upon the Earth taking the combined efforts of the Justice League and Power Rangers to subdue, and take a trip in the meantime…

Unfortunately for our heroes, the first issue of the crossover series began with both super-teams standing on the crater of what used to be Angel Grove, California. Now we know that home of the Power Rangers wasn’t destroyed, per se, but with Zedd and Brainiac’s plan obviously working as intended, the question now becomes: how are the League and Rangers going to get it back?